G-8 Summit Fails to Make Progress on Global Warming

Interview with Jim Lyons, vice-president for policy and communications with Oxfam America, conducted by Scott Harris

While the world is increasingly focusing on the issue of climate change and its consequences, many people don't fully understand the links between global warming and world hunger. The shifting seasons and severe weather, such as drought and floods, are responsible for destroying agricultural harvests, which in turn exacerbate hunger and increase poverty.

When the world's leading industrial nations met in Italy for the G-8 Summit, they declined to commit themselves to adopting higher taxes and energy prices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. The wealthiest nations set a goal of reducing their own emissions by 80 percent and worldwide emissions by 50 percent by the year 2050, but without outlining the steps necessary to achieve that goal. India and China rejected that proposal, arguing that they would bear an unfair burden as their economies expanded to catch up with the west. Nations at the G-8 issued a declaration that they world would work to limit global warming to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial temperatures, a level scientists assert would minimize the worst effects of climate change. Ongoing talks on the issue of global warming will culminate at a United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen this December.

Between The Lines Scott Harris spoke with Jim Lyons, vice-president for policy and communications with Oxfam America who talks about the outcome of the G-8 summit negotiations on climate change and the links between global warming and hunger.

Contact Oxfam by calling 1- (800) 77-OXFAM or visit their website at www.oxfamamerica.org

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"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: www.btlonline.org
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